Rock Radio - By Lisa Wainland Page 0,51

don’t just mean with your wife.”

“Nothing’s going on,” he said tersely.

“Be careful Jonny.”

“So why did you come in Dana? I assume you have something to tell me. This clearly is not a social call.”

“I’d appreciate if you’d drop the angry bit for a minute...I really need your advice.”

Jonny sat down on a stool and put his headphones on, pushing one side back so only one ear was covered. “Talk to me.”

“Sam called me this weekend. We got back together.”

He genuinely looked shocked. “Come again?”

Dana breathed deeply. “Sam called me...”

“No, I heard you, I just wasn’t sure I understood you.”

“He apologized, said how much he missed me and moved back in.”

“So why don’t you sound happy about it? I thought this was what you wanted.” Jonny flipped through his liner cards. As long as he was back, he’d go live and take it off autopilot.

“I thought so too, but, I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like I thought it would.” Dana looked away.

“Sometimes what you think you want isn’t really what you do want.”

“That’s pretty deep.”

“He hurt you pretty bad. That’s hard to erase. Besides, I thought you were head over heels with the rock star.”

Dana looked up and snickered, “Joke was on me on that one. He wasn’t who I thought he was.” She felt a pang reliving the realization he never showed up to meet her. “That’s just it, Sam is real. We have a lot of history...we can have a future together. He’s a good man, stable.”

“Good...stable...if I’m out of line, tell me, but you didn’t mention love.”

“I do love him,” she said defensively.

“Okay, then I support you. If he truly makes you happy then I’m happy for you. You deserve some happiness.”

“Everyone does. Including you,” she said raising her eyebrows with a smile.

“Thanks for your benevolence. Hang on song’s ending,” he waited for the last notes to play, “Hey kids, it’s Jonny Rock here with you on a beautiful afternoon. I’ve got new music from Soundgarden and Creed right after the break. Don’t go anywhere.” He pushed the button to fire the commercials and turned off the mic. “So how’s everything else?”

“Here’s something weird. It’s that chronic listener guy again.”

Jonny looked concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“Check this out.” Dana pulled Larry’s card from where she’d stashed it in the back of the magazine.

Jonny read the card and studied the picture. “He likes you Dana.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of…I mean like genuinely afraid. It’s different from anything I’d ever been sent by a listener before. It’s creepy.”

“I think you’re reading too much into it. He’s a listener who likes Dana Drew. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Really? You don’t think he looks like a weirdo?”

Jonny looked at the dark curly haired man. He was short and nondescript, save a prominent nose. “He’s harmless.”

Dana took the picture from Jonny and scrutinized it.

“Seriously Dana I wouldn’t give you bad advice.”

“I guess...”

“Don’t worry about it. Some of us have real things to be concerned about.” Like a jealous wife and a mistress who decided she’s in love with you.

“I just hope you know what you’re talking about.”

For once Jonny answered honestly. “Me too.”

Chapter 34

It was now five o’clock and Dana Drew hadn’t called.

So Larry called her at the station.

“WORR.”

“Dana Drew please,” he said breathlessly.

“Hold one minute.”

“Hey, this is Dana Drew and I’m away from my desk. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks.” Beep.

Her machine.

Damn it.

Larry hung up. She was on the air in an hour. He could call her then. Then she had to answer. She always answered when she was on the air.

The clock could not move any slower.

Larry watched each minute inch by letting his anger simmer. Dana got his card but didn’t call.

He wrote her a poem. Sent her a picture of them.

Together.

Couldn’t she see how much he loved her?

So much.

That hair.

Those lips.

Those eyes.

Larry took out his copy of the picture he sent her. Dana was smiling. Smiling out of the picture at him. “I love you too, Larry,” he imagined her lips saying.

Larry knew he and Dana were going to get married. Then his friends would be impressed with him. After all, he’d be married to a star. Dana Drew. No, he corrected himself, Dana Carter. Oh, his friend’s would all be jealous, all of them, especially the guys that called him Crazy Larry in high school. The ones that beat him up after class and keyed his car. Yes, they’d all be so envious that he got such a hot